After the Lorelei Incident
by calladragon
Summary: Post ACH. More action than fluffy romance. What happens after the Lorelei Incident? What if she doesn't break? What if Lisbon and Jane decide to act on feelings that have always there? How will Red John respond to Jane's sudden bid for happiness? It isn't as though he hasn't already asked for Lisbon's head.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer for entire story: Bruno Heller and Company own all rights to the Mentalist. I own nothing. No copyright infringements are intended and I do not make a penny off my stories.

If you've seen spoilers indicating who's taking over for Wainwright, I haven't so I wrote it my way. ~Calla

#

Lisbon pulled her SUV into a parking space and turned the key in the ignition. She'd been in a meeting with LaRoche when the call came and knew her team was already here. Man, she hadn't seen that one coming. LaRoche stepping back into temporarily running things until a replacement for Wainwright could be found. That was a headache she didn't need. But, it couldn't be helped.

Qualified candidates weren't exactly lining up for the position many had decided was cursed. It was no secret Minelli had retired after the Bosco debacle, Hightower had been framed and hounded into oblivion, and Wainwright's death was a nightmare too cruel to contemplate. Lisbon still wasn't sure exactly what Darcy's role was in all of this. She'd figure that out later. However, one thing she did know was she certainly had no desire to advance any farther even if Jane hadn't made such a thing all but impossible. As for LaRoche, she'd play that one by ear and hope things continued between them as smoothly as they were now. That wasn't likely to happen with Jane around. He was bound to rock the boat at some point though he seemed to be getting along with the man suprisingly well for the moment. They'd made some semblance of peace between them recently. Probably about the time LaRoche had given up trying to make Jane responsible for Johnson's murder.

"Hey, boss, over here." Lisbon walked across the room to where Cho was standing taking in the ambiance of the grisly crime scene before him.

Looking from the bodies to the wall bearing the familiar symbol and back again, it wasn't necessary to state the obvious. This wasn't a hoax or a copy cat. Red John had definitely struck again. The two bodies spread akimbo bleeding from every pore were the fourth and fifth victims in the past several months.

Lisbon rolled her eyes at the thought she really didn't need this now. She and Jane had spent the morning grilling Lorelei to no avail. The woman wasn't giving an inch. Or she hadn't yet. Jane seemed to think she would. Lisbon wasn't so sure. There was something about her wiring that was seriously off…murderous psycho wrapped in a pretty package. She took particular pleasure in mimicking Lisbon to Lisbon's face which the Senior Agent found unsettling.

It had disturbed the hell out of her in the beginning before she'd worked through her feelings of hurt and betrayal that Jane had actually slept with the woman. It hadn't really mattered it was part of the con. That the man could be so cold-blooded had given her pause for quite a few days. The truth was, for the most part, she'd never really thought of Jane in that way. They were hang-out buddies who spent time at each other's places. They'd been known to hold hands. She'd kissed him a time or two over the years…always in comfort and never in lust. He'd kissed her the same way. They'd even killed for each other when they had to. But, they'd never been romantically involved. Or consciously considered it.

Unconsciously, that tiny part of her always believing Jane would eventually turn to her had quietly shattered when Lorelei called him "Lover." Lisbon hadn't expected the figurative gut kick almost bending her double at her words. She hadn't expected the feeling to compound at Jane's reaction. It was worse than his ducking out on the whole "love you" dialogue that never was. She'd had the attending officer haul Lorelei's dainty butt back to holding and beat a path out the CBI before anyone could stop her. Fortunately, Jane was nowhere to be found.

Unfortunately, he showed up at her apartment later that night. Tamping down on her first impulse to slam the door in his face, Lisbon invited him in instead. She'd made him a cup of tea and herself a glass of juice. If Jane wanted to talk, he could talk. That didn't mean anything would change between them. She wasn't in a very forgiving mood at the moment. That Jane told her imagining it was her had gotten him through the performance really, really hadn't helped at all. She'd been more creeped out than flattered. Yet, she'd let him stay on her couch that night and cook her breakfast the next day.

Eventually, they'd made peace as Lisbon accepted for the thousandth time over the years that Jane would always be Jane and that the end would always justify the means to his way of thinking. Why try to change the man? He solved cases as bent as he was. Now, they spent their time alternating between trying to break Lorelei and trying to keep her alive. Oh, and working on their active cases. No one was under any illusions the woman wasn't living on borrowed time including Lorelei.

The minute Red John got word she was breaking, she'd be dead. And he would get word. Jane was sure of that. He had eyes and ears everywhere including the friendly neighborhood jail. The trick would be getting the information before he got Lorelei. Jane thought it could be done. Lisbon wasn't so sure. Frankly, she was at the point she was ready to just say the heck with it and beat his identity out of the wench. Jane didn't think that was a good idea. For once, he had the calmer head. As for Lisbon, she plain didn't like the foul mouthed woman. She played her a little too well.

Popping the latex gloves she'd carried in her pocket onto her hands, Lisbon reached out to touch the first body. She knew Carmen, no last name, and she knew her well. The woman was a CBI informant somewhat akin to Cho's friend Summer though in a class of her own. She'd been an elite escort moving as easily through the world of the rich and powerful as she did through the sleazy world of strippers and drugs. She'd had the advantage of being an undeniably beautiful girl with an engaging personality. She'd been good at her job and worth every penny she'd been paid over the years.

Moving to the other side of the bed, Lisbon resisted touching Gianni Rugolo. A wealthy businessman with questionable ties, he'd known his fiancee was a CBI informant and hadn't cared. He trusted her to leave his business out of it and Carmen had. He'd even been willing to feed her surprisingly accurate information on his rivals. Information she'd passed on to the appropriate sources. Quite a few nasty characters indirectly owed their incarcerations to Rugolo. Glancing at the swarthy man one last time, Lisbon decided he wasn't quite so handsome with all those slash marks in his skin.

"There isn't much to see here is there? Standard RJ." Lisbon stared at the wall in passing.

That blinking clockwise smiley face three fingers wide was the first thing she'd seen walking in and known, as she always did, that Jane was right. She'd felt dread and she'd seen the bodies. However, after that, she'd felt acceptance as she knew exactly what to expect. Then she was angry he'd struck again. They really needed a RJ break.

"Nope, except that the local PD are idiots who almost botched the whole crime scene." Cho said in passing.

The first thought of the powers that be had been, with the romantically involved couple being CBI informants, their demise was a nasty hit disguised to look like a Red John killing. Perhaps some of Rugulo's collegues had discovered his willingness to turn them in on a silver platter. Perhaps some of Carmen's clients had figured out what she was up to and chosen to end the leaks in a notable manner. It made sense to them. Right, if they ignored the truth in front of their eyes.

Lisbon and Cho knew better. Their unholy deaths had been Red John's way of sending her unit a message. He wasn't happy with the whole Lorelei situation. Something hadn't played out exactly according to plan and they didn't know what that was. Maybe that he hadn't been able to kill his pawn yet. It was no secret anyone who could identify Red John ended up dead. By Lisbon's estimation, Lorelei's expiration date had passed several weeks ago.

Hence the fiend's latest ramped up killing spree. Red John wanted them to know he was omnipresent and omniscent. He knew everything. He could interfere with their plans whenever he liked. He could kill their people at will. There was nothing they could do to stop him and they wouldn't be able to save Lorelei. Lisbon snorted at the thought he had an overinflated opinion of himself. He was hardly God. She turned her thoughts to the victims instead.

First, there was the corrupt lady attorney twelve weeks ago. The one representing Lorelei and running her mouth so brazenly. They'd found her in her office sliced and diced beneath the serial killer's calling card.

She'd been followed up by a small time dope dealer a month later. No one was quite sure why he'd made the RJ hit list except it now appeared he might be one of Carmin's informers. Cho had found his name in her address book with a star beside it.

A few weeks after that had been the cute little waitress who used to wait on the team at one of the cop dives they frequented. Everyone suspected she was a random kill to make a point no one wanted to accept. That he could take anyone any time he wanted. Frankly, Lisbon wouldn't care if Red John just walked into the jail and took Lorelei as long as he left the rest of them alone. Now, it was Carmen and Giovanni.

"It's definitely him again." Coming up behind them, Jane stated the obvious.

"Yeah, I agree with him." Cho stated the obvious as well.

"So? We're all in agreement. What do you propose we do now?" Lisbon gave them both the evil eye.

"Go back to office and do what we always do. Try to piece together a killer's identity without any real clues." Lisbon was a little annoyed the remark was made with typical disinterest.

The man really wasn't assisting in any way. Displaying predictable ennui, Jane was making no bones he was ready to go. There was nothing here for him to see. She could see he'd rather get back to the jail to verbally beat on Lorelei some more. Rolling her eyes, Lisbon resisted her usual "bite me." She was up to her eyes with dark Jane. He was a much of a pain in the rear as he'd been in the early days and when he'd been all full of the 'any body who gets close to me gets hurt' spiel after Kristina Frye disappeared. She'd had a merciful break from that Jane for a while; but, now he was back again.

"Thanks, Jane, that's real helpful." Lisbon so wasn't giving in to that one. She needed a day or two away from the dark haired spinx.

"Come on, Lisbon, we all know what the techs are going to find, absolutely nothing." Jane didn't need to study the crime scene again. He knew it by heart.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Jane. Maybe he made his this time." While that was what they were all hoping for no one really expected such a thing to be true.

"I'm not betting on it. He's toying with us now. That lawyer signed her death warrant mouthing off the way she did. She let her desire to set up her client for an insanity plea outweigh her sense of self preservation. I tried to tell her; but, she wouldn't listen.

The informants are telling us he has his pulse so deep into the CBI he can set our operations back at will. The drug dealer's death is connected to Carmen in some way. He was probably a snitches' snitch.

The little waitress was meant to convey he can take any one of us at will. Like he needs to tell us something we don't already know." Jane gave voice to what they all spent a lot of time ignoring.

"I can tell you're going to be about as much help as a two year old. We're going back to the office, Cho. You and the team can handle all of this. Call me if they uncover anything of interest." Not likely at this stage of the game.

"Right, boss." Cho absently waved them on while he studied the bodies sprawled on the bed.

Van Pelt was around somewhere, probably with the forensics guys, and Rigsby was interviewing the neighbors on both sides. They had things under control if the boss needed to go babysit Jane for a while. Better her than him. The longer Lorelei resisted breaking, the more of a petulant pill Jane became at times. One of those times was now. Thank goodness Lisbon had the patience to handle the man in his present mood. Cho certainly didn't.

"Come on, Jane. We're out of here." Lisbon's tone said she wasn't tolerating any monkey business.

For once, the man followed without putting up a fight. There were no smart butt comments or meanderings, just the consultant obediently following Lisbon out to her SUV for a change. Maybe the day would get better yet. Cho watched the vehicle depart before scribbling in his notes.

#

Wearily rubbing her neck, Lisbon stared out the window at the parking lot. It had been one nasty day. She'd been going over files and victim boards searching for that one illusive clue they might have missed most of the afternoon. That is until she'd been interrupted by her three o'clock appointment. She'd wrapped up a lengthy interview with the waitress' distraught fiancé two hours later. That had been six hours ago.

From what she could gather from the people closest to her, there was absolutely no reason that girl should be dead. It was just her misfortune to wait on their table and harmlessly flirt with Jane a few times. It was her misfortune the wrong person had watched their interactions. It was her misfortune she'd entered their lives at a time when they were holding one of Red John's most prized possessions: one of the few living people who could identify him. The whole scene had been a horrible finale to a really crappy day.

To cap it all off, everyone had left the CBI hours ago leaving her behind. Truthfully, she'd sent them home. Her team was exhausted and there was no reason to make them suffer any more. As for Jane, he was still lurking out there waiting to pounce the moment she stuck her head out that door. She really wasn't in the frame of mind to deal with him. She really wasn't.

"All right, Lisbon, enough of this hiding out in a darkened office. You know I'm not going to leave. I've brought you a cup of tea instead." Jane said as he sat the cup before her.

"I don't want a cup of tea." Lisbon didn't try to keep the grumpy note out of her voice.

"It'll make you feel better." It might make him feel better, but certainly not her. She didn't particularly even like tea and Jane knew it.

"Jane, I really don't want a cup of tea. If you were offering a stiff shot, we might talk about it." They both knew that bottle that sometimes hid out in her bottom drawer was long gone.

They'd emptied it a few months ago in a little closed case pizza celebration with the team way after hours. There'd been enough tequila in that bottle for about a half of shot for everyone. They'd honestly done a lot more laughing than drinking that night which was perfectly all right. Lisbon had never bothered replacing it.

"No such luck. I'm totally out of booze. You can have this nice cup of tea instead." Jane offered.

"Fine. Give me the flipping cup of tea." Lisbon could be a petulant brat too.

Almost snatching the cup from his hand, Lisbon took a sip of tea. It really wasn't half bad. Not the way he made it. A shot would have made it better. Could you put alcohol in tea? She guessed you could if you wanted to. Lisbon fought the urge to just empty the cup. That would never do. She really wasn't in the mood for a lecture about gulping tea.

"It was a hard interview." Jane observed.

"Yeah, it was. They were getting married in three months. They were high school sweethearts. She was starting nursing school next semester and he's starting med school in the fall. They had their whole lives ahead of them. There was absolutely no reason that girl had to die." Except Red John wanted it.

"She crossed Red John's path." As could anyone at anytime.

"She crossed our path." Lisbon reminded him.

"Lisbon, we're not responsible for her death. If we'd had any idea he'd start targeting random people whose lives touched ours in such a fleeting way, we'd have done something to prevent it. We didn't know so there was nothing we could do to stop him. Obviously, we'll think twice about our casual case closed get-togethers from this point on. Other than that we're powerless to stop the maniac from doing anything he wants to do." Jane wasn't letting this drive him any more nuts than he already was.

"It's not fair, Jane." And it wasn't.

"Life isn't fair, Lisbon. You're a cop. If anyone should know that, you should. If life were fair, I'd be dead instead of my family. I'm the one who said the wrong things, not them." It was a bit easier to say that now than it used to be.

"You're not responsible for what happened to them. You might have opened your mouth, but he's the one who chose to act in such a reprehensible way. You didn't make him do what he did." Lisbon defended him.

"I gave him just cause in his mind." He hadn't known he was doing; but, that didn't change a thing.

"Only because he's a whack job." As all of his cohorts were.

"He might be a whack job, but he's the whack job that's getting the best of us." Jane really hated saying that after all of these years.

"Jane, I honestly don't know what to do at this point. He's killed five innocent people in the past twelve weeks and none of them were his underlings." Lisbon twirled her cup in her hands.

"Only one of them was truly innocent, Lisbon. Our other victims were a lawyer willing to make her case unethically, a call girl, a mobster, and a dope dealer. Hardly innocents I should say." Not that any of them deserved to die; but, none of them were very nice people either.

"I know you're right, Jane; but, this is supposed to get easier. Not harder. We're supposed to get closer to catching him. Not what feels like farther away." Lisbon briefly wished someone else was working this case before taking it back. Jane wouldn't be standing in her office now if they did.

"What do you want me to say, Lisbon? It's Red John. Nothing about him has ever been easy."

Watching the woman, Jane realized she hadn't turned from the window for several minutes. She'd steadfastly refused to look in his direction since she'd taken that cup and he wondered why. Walking over to face his boss, he turned her face towards the light. It was just as he suspected. She'd been crying off and on for quite a while. No wonder the room was dark except for her desk lamp. Lisbon wasn't about to let anyone see her tears.

"Frustration, my dear?" Among other things Lisbon would never admit to.

"What do you think?" She snapped back.

"I'd say that's a distinct possibility since we're both pretty annoyed with the powerlessness of the whole situation. I'd say its frustration mingled with a little sorrow over the waitress who shouldn't have died. I don't think you're that broken up about the rest of them. Not to say they aren't human beings deserving justice for what was done to them. They are, they do, and you'll do your best to see that they get it; but, it's not the same. Then there's the whole you-know-who-situation." Neither of them needed to say the "L" word. She was always there on the periphery every minute of every day. Lisbon really, really loathed that woman.

"I guess it's not." Scrubbing her face, Lisbon turned away from the window and walked towards her desk.

She was getting tired, beyond tired actually. It was time to just gather her things and go home. Tomorrow was another day. Maybe she'd see something she'd missed when she was fresher. She usually did.

"Hey, Lisbon?" Jane's voice intruded on her thoughts.

"Yeah." She was only half listening to his chatter.

"It has to get better." But it wouldn't stay that way.

"Yeah, I guess it does." Right. Like they both believed that one.

Opening his arms, Jane wasn't surprised when Lisbon walked into them. It wasn't the first innocent hug they'd shared in times of stress though this one felt different. There was a certain desperation radiating off of her as she burrowed closer against him. Desperation he didn't usually feel. This case was really starting to get to her. It was more than just the little waitress. It was the escalating death count. The higher ups could not be happy. It was Lorelei. The woman's mocking was wearing on her. It was wearing on him. He and Red John shared something in common. They both despised cheap copies and that's exactly what Lorelei was.

Rubbing her back soothingly, Jane couldn't help thinking how nice Lisbon felt in his arms. She was still soft and womanly in spite of all that lean muscle she worked so hard to keep. It had been a long time since he'd been this close to an attractive woman in quite this way. Lorelei didn't count.

Rubbing her hand absently over his chest, Lisbon couldn't help noting the firm muscle beneath her palm. She was sure she'd noticed it before at some point over the years. She'd just never allowed herself to acknowledge exactly how good it felt to touch Jane. They were friends. Really good friends and had been for years. Until the whole Lorelei incident had made her begin thinking differently. Closing her eyes, Lisbon inhaled deeply of the pleasant scent of Jane. The man really did smell good. It must be his cologne. Or maybe it was just Jane. His hand against her back was starting to make her skin tingle.

Lisbon wondered fleetingly if he looked half as good without his clothes as it felt like he did. Scolding herself for her unprofessionalism, she acknowledged she'd really like to see. It wasn't the first time she'd had such thoughts. But it was the first time she hadn't driven them immediately from her mind. From the response of his body to her nearness, Jane was having similar thoughts and it wasn't like he was broken anymore. And it wasn't like he hadn't had similar thoughts before. He'd told her so.

Without thinking, Lisbon stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. Though Jane didn't pull away, he didn't exactly respond either. Maybe she'd caught him by surprise. From the look in his eyes, she'd definitely caught him by surprise. Standing back on her tip toes, Lisbon kissed him again. This time Jane was ready for her. She couldn't have escaped the assault of his lips if she'd wanted too. She didn't. The man was a mighty fine kisser. Whatever else he might or might not have forgotten over the years, he'd definitely not forgotten how to kiss.

"Lisbon, is there a point to this exercise?" He sincerely hoped there was. He hadn't been sure his little confession about Lorelei hadn't repulsed Lisbon past the point of no return.

"What do you think?" Lisbon returned.

The woman never did anything without a point. He could read her point on her face without her saying a word.

Breaking free of their embrace, Lisbon gathered her purse and her keys. Turning to face Jane, she saw the answer to her question shining in his eyes. She wasn't surprised when he followed her out of office, waited patiently for her to lock the door, and rode the elevator with her to the ground floor. Following her out of the building, Jane hesitated a moment before following Lisbon to her SUV. Waiting for her to unlock the door, he located his own vehicle nearly hidden across the parking lot.

Climbing into the SUV, he watched Lisbon shove the key in the ignition. There was no reason to take two cars. It wasn't like they wouldn't be back bright and early in the morning. They had several interrelated cases they were currently working on. They wouldn't be taking the weekend off. Besides, his car would be perfectly fine in the parking lot overnight. No one would think twice about it. It was hardly the first time he'd left it there. Truthfully, he'd done so regularly over the years. Though admittedly usually for radically different reasons.


	2. Chapter 2

Watching Lisbon maneuver from the parking lot on to the highway, Jane noted the stiffness of her hands and shoulders. She'd issued an invitation he'd accepted with unresolved issues between them. Jane had feeling those issues wouldn't be unresolved by the time they arrived at Lisbon's place. He also had a feeling the ride across town wasn't going to be nearly as comfortable as he'd like. Nor would he be holding her hand like he wanted any time soon. Leaning back in his seat, Jane watched the passing traffic and waited for Lisbon to speak.

"She's not me, Jane, and I'm not her." Lisbon said as she changed lanes resisting the urge to say a few choice words about the creep who'd just cut her off.

"I never thought she was, Lisbon. I'm not the one putting Lorelei between us. She was the means to an end. Nothing more and nothing less." Jane saw no reason to lie. Contrary to popular belief, he never outright lied to Lisbon unless absolutely necessary. He didn't particularly care for muddying the waters between them that way.

"I hate it when you say things like that." Lisbon took her eyes off the road long enough to glance in his direction.

"You hate it even more when I do the means." From that hard gleam in Jane's eyes, the crassness was intentional.

"Yeah, Jane, I do." There was no use denying the truth in her telling glare. "It was your doing the means that got me thinking crazy thoughts. Thinking in the wrong direction in the first place." That was as close as she'd come to admitting the crazy jealousy she'd felt after the hurt dissipated.

"It's hardly the wrong direction, Lisbon, just one we've never taken before." Jane gently reminded her.

"Yeah, well, it looks like we're taking it now." Or they might if she didn't chicken out. Now that the intensity of that encounter in her office had passed, there were a lot of reasons this was a bad idea.

Not least of all, Red John had already asked for her head. What did she think sleeping with Jane would do for that situation? The rational voice in her head reminded Lisbon if she was already on the RJ Hit List doing the horizontal mambo with Jane couldn't get her put back on it again. Lisbon snorted at the ridiculous thought.

Flipping her turn signal, she exited the highway onto a four lane street. They were still several miles from her place. There was plenty of time to get the necessary talking done.

"It certainly does." If they made it that far given the way Lisbon was talking. Jane might find himself sleeping on her couch of his own free will.

"Oh, about that whole imagining me thing…not your best line, Buster…way more disturbing than smooth." It had taken her a while to work through that one satisfactorily. Honestly, it still made her a little cock-eyed when she thought about it. That was probably why she didn't bother doing so that often. Unless she was contemplating sleeping with Jane and how often did she do that? More often than she'd ever admit. Probably about every time she admitted how fine he looked and how far he'd crawled under her skin.

Jane agreed with Lisbon as he'd known that at the time. While the statement had plastered a bandage over the open wound, he'd known his words would come back to haunt him before they were done. Now, it seemed instead of fixing the injury, he'd only dug himself deeper into a hole. Well, Lisbon could just get over it. What was done was done. However, while Jane might feel that way, he was much too smart to say it. He'd never get past Lisbon's front door if he did and that wouldn't do at all.

"Lisbon, I spoke the truth. I wish I could tell you I'd act differently if I had it to do again; but, I can't. I'd do exactly the same. We caught Lorelei. With any luck, we'll get Red John. I can't regret that." Jane defended his actions exactly as she knew he would.

"What about Wainwright?" Neither of them had seen that one coming. Lisbon still had no idea how their boss ended up in Red John's limo. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been pouting in his office.

"I've lost sleep over that one. Luther wasn't supposed to be part of the equation so, yes; I would change that if I could." The man had been annoying with all of his psycho babble at times though he'd been a decent enough sort.

"I'm glad to know that." Satisfied for the moment, Lisbon did a mental check of her refrigerator and pantry as she drove past the last grocery story. She hadn't been to the market in several days. She hoped the milk hadn't soured and she still had some of Jane's tea. From what she remembered, they were okay.

"Lisbon, I'm assuming we've covered all the topics on that imaginary sticky note in your head. The one you went over after you decided the milk is in date and you still have some of my tea hiding behind that box of cookies on the third shelf from the right in your pantry." Lisbon rolled her eyes in the darkness completely disgusted Jane knew her so well. "I can assure you I'm fully cognizant of who I'm sitting beside right now. The only way she can invade our space is if you let her in your head. You know who I'm talking about. That other brunette who isn't nearly as good at mimicking the real deal as she thinks she is." Jane patted her hand reassuringly.

"Whatever twisted little thoughts are going through your head, I was never fooled. Not from the moment she sat down beside me looking and acting so much like you. I wanted to be. I wanted to believe she wasn't a Red John plant. I wanted to believe she was exactly as she seemed and I tried to deny who she reminded me of. I was a very lonely man at the time. I won't lie and say I wasn't hoping she wasn't part of the game. I was; but, I wasn't fooled. All Lorelei did was remind me how much I missed you." Lisbon had missed him, too. "I have to give Red John credit though. The woman was well trained; but not well enough. I don't care how many videos she watched or how many hours she practiced, Lorelei missed the subtle things."

"Like what?" Lisbon had heard nothing but how much her nemesis resembled her since the witch's incarceration until she was ready to puke. Even her own team had commented so much until she'd lost it one day and demanded they 'shush!' and not say another word.

"Oh, I don't know. Lorelei doesn't smell like you, spicy clean with a hint of Lisbon. She's much too floral and cloying. She doesn't smile like you and her laugh is off. She couldn't do that look you're giving me now if her life depended on it and she certainly doesn't kiss like you. She's rather a cold fish actually. I have a feeling you're anything but. She had all the right moves; but, there was something missing. Like maybe a soul." Jane knew Lisbon wasn't cold. If he'd ever had any doubts, the passionate way she tore into him when he crossed the line gave her away.

"Shush, Jane, or you may never find out. So you're saying Lorelei was a silly little copy that wasn't good enough to fool the master." The thought made Lisbon feel better on some petty level buried deep inside.

"That's not what I'm saying at all. There's nothing silly about this, Lisbon. Don't dismiss Red John's handiwork so lightly. Lorelei was a brilliant move and a lesser man would have fallen, especially one missing you as desperately as I was.

You've been a very important part of my life for a long time now. Being without your presence was a lot harder than you might think. It would have been very easy to accept the gift he was offering and give up the game. Even for me. A small part of me wanted to." He'd quickly dealt with that sick little part of him so thoroughly corrupted by the pleasures of the flesh after so many years and he hadn't looked back since. "Fortunately, I had the real Lisbon waiting at home." Or he'd hoped she was.

It had been hard predicting Lisbon's reaction to seeing him again since he been off the radar six months. He wouldn't have blamed her at all if she'd refused to help when he'd finally shown up. Especially given the way he'd departed. He'd blown off her request to drop by his place and disappeared instead. All in all, she'd handled his return gracefully and Jane was glad.

"Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, you did." Lisbon had pummeled herself mercilessly for letting him back in the fold so easily; but, she'd missed him as desperately as he'd missed her. Things just weren't the same without Jane. "No more means to an end, Jane. I don't care how close it'll get you to Red John. No more Loreleis." Nothing else need be said as that was the crux of the matter.

Anything Jane did once, she'd never put past him doing again and there were some things she wouldn't tolerate. That was one of them. While she didn't think Jane was a straying man by nature, the lure to trap Red John had been all consuming for too many years. He'd primed himself to do whatever it took for so long his responses where almost instinctual. What Jane would consider the means to an end in the heat of the moment; she'd call cheating. He'd sincerely regret it; but they'd still be done. Lisbon didn't miss the slight hesitancy before Jane reached out to pat her hand yet again.

"No more Loreleis." There were so many other ways to catch a monster. He doubted he'd try that ploy again anyway. It had failed rather miserably and the way he felt afterwards was much worse than he'd anticipated.

"Good. I think we understand each other." Lisbon maneuvered her vehicle in her parking space and killed the ignition.

"We usually do." Jane watched her disconnect her seatbelt and did the same. He paused waiting for her next move.

"You coming in, Jane?" She wasn't used to hesitant Jane. He was usually fourteen steps ahead of her.

Lisbon turned in the seat to gaze unblinkingly at her companion. Jane gazed unblinkingly back. She thought she caught a hint of a smile hovering on his lips. He'd so better not be laughing at her. She suspected that was exactly what he was doing.

"We're done with all the verbiage?" He certainly hoped they were.

"Yeah, Jane, I think we are." She was. Who knew about Jane?

"What do you think?" There was nothing hesitant or shy about that cocky leer or the confident tone he tossed back at her.

"I wasn't sure how you'd feel once we got here." That was the other thought crawling around in the back of her mind.

She got the whole means to an end thing. Jane could be as cold blooded as any hardened criminal about doing whatever it took when it came to Red John. She wasn't so sure how he'd handle intimacy for intimacy's sake. It wasn't a step he'd ever willing taken before. It wasn't a step he'd been ready for. She wasn't sure he was ready now. That he wouldn't see it as betraying his wedding vows. It wasn't like Jane couldn't be all in one moment only to crab walk the next. A part of her fully expected that. The man could be slipperier than a slimy fish on a good day. She expected nothing different tonight.

"I came with you didn't I?" That he had.

"Yeah, I guess you did." She couldn't deny what was standing beside her.

"Lisbon, I knew exactly what that kiss was inviting. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I agreed to come back to your place. And I knew there was going to be some unpleasant conversation along the way.

You have a tendency to sweep issues you don't want to deal with under the rug and pretend nothing's wrong. We both do. I've always known Lorelei wasn't going to stay buried. I did what I thought necessary at the time and I'm sorry you got hurt along the way. If there had been another way, I'd have taken it. There wasn't. It's over, it's done, and it's time to move on." Jane's voice was calm and even.

"I think I can do that." The look on Jane's face said she'd better more than think it. Lisbon shot him a look back saying she hadn't called him a cab yet. Jane decided a smart boy knew when to back off and now might be a good time.

Well, that definitely settled that. In an instance of lunacy she'd issued an invitation that Jane was clearly taking her up on. In the back of her mind a part of her had been expecting him to reconsider at the last possible second. That didn't seem to be happening which brought Lisbon back to the invitation she'd issued in the first place.

It was unquestionably an invitation to interact in a highly unprofessional manner. To do things she hadn't done in quite a while. And things she'd never seriously considered doing with Jane. Not until now. Things she probably should never do with Jane if she were perfectly honest. Things she definitely shouldn't do with Jane and she knew it. Grabbing her bag and her keys, Lisbon gathered her thoughts as she slid out of the seat.

Opening his door and exiting the SUV, Jane followed Lisbon up the stairs. Watching her unlock her apartment, he followed her inside. Unlike the rest of her team, he'd been inside the welcoming abode on numerous occasions. His previous visits had always begun and ended innocently. He'd slept on her couch more than a few times over the years when he was particularly troubled and he'd hung out at other times. He actually liked what Lisbon had done with her home. It was warm and cozy. She'd created a comfortable nest to return to. Shaking his thoughts, Jane wasn't surprised to find Lisbon looking at him with an expression on her face he'd seen too often before. She was still doubting the wisdom of her actions in inviting him here.

Walking through that door made what had only been illusionary suddenly very real.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea." Lisbon said the words he'd expected to hear.

It was one more nail in the coffin of professional suicide. More important than that were the personal reasons. Her relationship with Jane was complicated enough without letting the stress from this case drive her into taking their relationship to deeper level. She liked being best friends even if he drove her crazy. What if they lost that when this went south? She wasn't sure she could live with that. He was too much a part of her life. It wasn't like she had anything concrete to stand on. Jane's declaration before he'd pretended to shoot her didn't count. She still didn't know what his words meant.

Jane didn't look particularly surprised she was teetering on indecision. He knew what was at stake if they took this next step. He had to have concerns of his own. Maybe enough he'd forget the conversations leading up to this and let her gracefully renege on her invite now that the moment of insanity had passed. They could spend the evening as they sometimes did. Ordering takeout and watching a movie. He could even sleep on her couch as he'd done before. Or she could drive him back to the CBI to get his car. All of those things were an option. What was off the table was her initial invitation. It really wasn't a wise move on her part.

"There's nothing wrong with your idea and you know it. Lisbon, we've both known this was inevitable for quite some time, so why not now? It's as good a time as any.

We've had to deal with five bodies in the last three months, two of them CBI informants.

I'd say we're both in dire need of a little stress relief with a lover we trust and desire." Jane stated bluntly. "As for the other, I can assure you our friendship won't disappear if this doesn't work out. We're much too close for that. I'm not willing to let you go."

Lisbon decided Jane might have a point. They'd been friends for much too long to let a little thing like sex come between them. Besides, there was something about the way he was looking at her making her think the experience would be worth breaking every rule she held sacred. There was something about the way her body was responding to that look that made her think she really wouldn't mind. It was apparent in a very obvious way that Jane wouldn't mind her reconsidering at all.

From the avid looks in his direction, Lisbon was warming up to the idea of a little togetherness again. Deciding to seize the moment, Jane drew her into his arms. All it had taken to get her all hot and bothered enough to invite him home initially was that patented Patrick Jane kiss. The one he and Angela had perfected over the years. He really didn't think his late wife would mind if he shared. Not after all this time. Not with Lisbon. It was worth a try. It had worked before. Maybe it would work again.

Oh, yeah, it was definitely working again. Those cold feet had completely thawed. From the tongue invading his mouth and the hands tugging at his jacket, Jane was left with no doubt who liked being in charge. While that wasn't really his style, he was willing to let things be for the moment. There was plenty of time to flip their roles without Lisbon realizing it until he was done.

Jane smirked at the thought Lisbon moved fast when she had a purpose. His jacket and vest were long gone. Jane didn't stop the nimble fingers rapidly unbuttoning his shirt. He was content to just play along. Yep, Lisbon could do as she pleased until he decided to take over. By then it would be too late for her to do anything but follow wherever he chose to lead. Sliding her jacket down unresisting arms, Jane knew the moment Lisbon noted something she'd never seen.

"Jane, what's this?" Lisbon lifted his hand.

"What does it look like?" He reassured her she was seeing exactly what she thought.

"A bare ring finger." Lisbon still wasn't sure this was real.

"It is." Jane softly confirmed.

"You never take your ring off." Never once in all of the years she'd known him.

"No, Lisbon, I never have. But, I do now." From the widening of her eyes Lisbon didn't miss what he was trying to say. He'd not taken off his ring with Lorelei and he probably wouldn't with any other woman. "I wouldn't dishonor you that way. I wouldn't dishonor us." Not since he intended what was between them to be real even if the ring had to go back on his finger for appearances sake.

"I don't know what to say." And she didn't.

"Don't say anything. Just accept it will always be off when we're together." That should be enough for the moment.

"I can do that." Pulling his head down, Lisbon kissed Jane in manner more tender than passionate conveying how much she appreciated the gesture as so much more than she'd have asked of him.

While Jane wasn't giving up his quest or his determination, he'd decided after the Lorelei Incident it was time to move on. He'd known the time was coming and he'd been reluctant to accept the fact that even he could be starved for affection. Even he could reach the end of the emotional and psychological punishment he could endure. He'd thought to be dead or incarcerated long before now. He'd never really contemplated what his life would be like over a decade after his family was gone. He'd never considered how difficult it would become seeing Lisbon every day and touching her casually; but, never experiencing her in the ways he wanted.

His feelings had grown unbearable recently. Jane had eventually realized he had no choice but to move on. He'd been waiting, and watching, for the opening he'd hoped was coming as he'd detected the nearly imperceptible changes in Lisbon's attitude towards him since the Lorelei debacle. He'd known she was starting to think the way he was. It was only a matter of time before they both got what they wanted.

Actually, the whole thing had probably started before Lisbon knew of his liaison with Lorelei. It probably started about the time he'd uttered, "Love you, Lisbon." or something to that effect. She'd been thrown completely off balance. Jane, however, had known exactly what he meant even if she hadn't. And he'd refused to clarify his words for a reason. He'd not meant to say them aloud and he wasn't yet ready for Lisbon to know. He wasn't totally comfortable with the idea himself though he knew it was true. However, he was more than willing to show what he wasn't yet willing to tell.

"Teresa, I think you're dreadfully overdressed for the situation though I'm don't think either of us really feels like giving the neighbors a show. What do you say to taking this inside?"

Lisbon didn't protest when he scooped her up heading for the stairs. To say Jane had shocked her was an understatement. To say she was pleased went without saying. Maybe they stood a chance of making this work. As long as a certain someone stayed out the mix.

#

Jane wasn't surprised to watch Lisbon start at opening her eyes to discover she wasn't alone. What they'd began in her den had continued upstairs. He knew the woman blinking at him like a baby barn owl didn't usually have company when she awoke in the morning. And she'd certainly never had him. From the look on her face, she was already regretting yielding to that magical kiss. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the thought he was not going there again.

"What do you want me to say, Lisbon? It's not like we can undo what's already been done. That horse has already left the barn a number of times. It's not like we can put him back in." Jane refused to laugh at the image in his mind. Lisbon would not appreciate that. She'd think he was laughing at her. Nothing would have been farther from the truth.

That she was feeling slightly skittish wasn't unexpected. He was feeling a little skittish himself. It wasn't unexpected, but it wasn't a situation he liked either. They'd crossed a line they'd both avoided for years and it couldn't be undone. They'd gone from friends to friends with benefits in one fell swoop. Jane made a face at the thought that was such a distasteful term. They were more than friends and intimacy with Lisbon was certainly more than a benefit. It had been the passionately beautiful expression of feelings neither of them was yet ready to define.

"I guess we can't." That horse was a little too big.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to say I'm sorry when I'm not. What happened isn't some dirty little secret to sweep under the rug or pretend never happened. You know what we did wasn't like that at all." She'd better not try to make it that way. He'd certainly call her on it.

"I know. But it changes everything." Lisbon wasn't sure she liked that reality in the glare of the morning light.

"Intimacy usually does when you care about someone." Jane reminded her.

"What do we do now?" Lisbon knew what she hoped they did now; but, she wasn't the only one involved.

"What do you think?" Lisbon was being obtuse now. He hadn't slinked off in the middle of the night and he was still in her bed. It should be patently obvious what they did now.

"I asked you." Lisbon was giving him wiggle room he didn't need.

"We do exactly what you want us to do. Everything has changed; but nothing has. We're still the same as we've always been. Our private life is our business. Don't make it more complicated than it has to be." Jane advised.

"So you're saying we go about our jobs and keep this a secret." Doing so was in both of their best interests. Sleeping with Jane was the final plummet into career suicide.

"No, that's what you're saying. Let's set the record straight. I wouldn't care if everyone knew about us from Bertram on down; but you would. So, by day nothing's changed. I'll still aggravate you and you'll aggravate me. By night, we'll be together. I think I'd like weekends as well. My place gets pretty lonely without someone constantly nagging at me." Jane honestly didn't want to let Lisbon out of his sight now that he had her this close.

And for other reasons he wouldn't remind her of at the moment. Like he'd put money on the fact Red John already knew exactly who he'd spent the night with and exactly how. He had to have been expecting it. Jane really didn't want to go there right now. He'd worry about such things later. Lisbon wasn't going anywhere.

"You wouldn't?" She hadn't expected that.

"No, Lisbon, I wouldn't. You need to understand something. I was deeply attracted to you from the start even when you spent more time saying "Bite me" than anything else. Do you think I go around giving all the pretty ladies origami frogs? Entirely too much work and everyone knows I'm a lazy man. It's taken us a long time to get to this point, and I'm glad we finally have." He could tell she was too. "Forgive me if I want to gloat a bit. It isn't every day a reformed con gets to call the finest cop he knows his. Don't give me that look, Teresa. We both know you wouldn't be here if you weren't mine. You wouldn't have taken this latest step. You thought long and hard just as I did. Years in fact." Jane watched the unconscious nodding of her head.

"Yeah, well, you're hardly that reformed. If you were, I wouldn't have to watch you so hard." And her career wouldn't be in tatters.

"Maybe I like you watching me." That wasn't always true; but, at the moment he did.

"Maybe I like watching you." She always had. A Jane in action was a sight to behold. He was never lovelier than when he had that devilish twinkle in his eye signaling a barrage of complaints would be crossing her desk.

Pulling back, Jane studied his lover intently. Lisbon was really cute sitting in the middle of her bed with mussed hair staring at him through the biggest emerald eyes he'd ever seen. A man could get lost in those eyes. Pretty hot, too, wearing nothing but her panties and that skimpy tank she'd slipped into in the wee hours before padding downstairs to fetch them a snack of cold pizza and soda he didn't really want. Actually she was more than pretty hot whether she knew it or not. Leaning over, Jane nuzzled into that sensitive spot on the curve of her neck. The spot that had her eyes closing and her back arching in that most provocative way. The one he'd always suspected was there and had looked forward to testing for years.

"Jane, what are you doing?" Not that she really minded; but, a peek at the alarm clock said it was going off soon.

"I'm trying to convince you to let me stay over the weekend. To give the guys a much needed rest. Those dead bodies aren't going anywhere and we'll get a lot more accomplished fresh. Monday morning is soon enough to start pretending none of this happened. It's soon enough for both of us to resume doing what we both do so well." Jane tempted her.

He didn't need to say the words out loud. Neither of them had ever run from that truth. They were both masters of denial. After this pleasurable interlude, their lives wouldn't be so different than they had been. They would go back to being Lisbon and Jane. No one would see anything different. She would be their beloved Senior Agent of the SCU at the CBI and he'd be her brilliant, annoying consultant.

In spite of their words to the contrary, they'd both shy around the idea of togetherness for a day or two until one or the other of them decided they'd had enough and made the first move. Jane was under no illusions it wouldn't take time to get this dance right. They were both too used to denying their feelings to fall so readily into expressing them. Besides, Lisbon would constantly struggle with issues of unprofessionalism while he reminded himself he wasn't betraying his family as he wasn't abandoning the cause. But, they'd get through it.

"What do you think a weekend of comfort sex is going to accomplish for either of us?" Lisbon asked. Not that she was opposed to the idea. Her guys were tired and they were all getting ragged around the edges. A couple of off days would do them all good.

However, she'd been up for a night of fun before slipping back into their usual role. An entire weekend was swimming in murkier waters. A girl could start thinking and feeling even more things she shouldn't with all that flesh slapping against flesh and the exquisite torment that came with a man like Patrick Jane. Especially considering it was becoming more difficult to muscle those feelings back where they belonged since the Lorelei Incident forced her to confront them initially. She'd never have awakened to find a certain man in all his naked glory lounging in her bed otherwise.

Lisbon closed her eyes as Jane continued touching her in ways that made her body hum. As she continued letting him caress her in those secret ways he seemed to know so well. They both knew it was only a matter of time before he covered her body with his and the loving started all over again. It was only a matter of time before she welcomed him home. That thought shook Lisbon to her core.

"A couple of days of well-deserved comfort and pleasure spent in each other's arms. A chance to do some healing, recoup some emotional strength, prepare ourselves for the next move in the game. Perhaps we should call a short meeting later today for a couple of hours to assuage your guilt at being away from the office when there's open files on your desk. Other than that, we'll have pleasurable memories to hold us both over until we decide to do this again." Jane's demeanor said he wasn't going to pressure her in any way. At least not initially.

"And things go back to the way they were on Monday morning." Lisbon wasn't sure she really wanted that. Having Jane around like this was far more pleasant than she'd anticipated.

"If that's what you want. I'd prefer not. I think we're fully capable of being Lisbon and Jane at work and Teresa and Patrick when we're not." Jane reiterated.

"So do I. Jane, I think I'd like to give it a try." She already had a key in her kitchen drawer she could give him. On second thought, maybe she'd wait on that. She'd come home to find Jane lounging on her couch every day if she did. Then again, she wasn't sure that would be such a bad thing. Besides, they could always go to his place. She liked it better.

"So would I." Jane resisted the urge to walk over to his discarded vest and fetch that key he'd had made for her from the secret pocket. There would be plenty of time to do that later.

Right now they were too busy taking two steps forward and five steps back before deciding to try it all over again. They both needed to put up or shut up. All of this hedging could only destroy any chance they had at making it work. As if Red John wasn't enough. Staring into each other's eyes, Lisbon and Jane both recognized the moment they firmly decided to commit with no turning back as they unconsciously entwined their hands together. Pulling her over to sit on his lap, Jane kissed Lisbon tenderly underscoring their silent vow.

"Then let's do it." Lisbon whispered against his lips before reluctantly pulling away. "Let me call the team. We don't want them showing up at the office with us nowhere to be found. That could start some unpleasant questions and rumors we don't need." Lisbon grabbed her cell phone and punched the first number.

Hanging up, she repeated the operation two more times. Cho was happy to roll over and go back to sleep. Van Pelt was going shopping and Rigsby was taking Benjamin to the park. From the side of the conversation he could hear, all of the guys were happy to have a few hours free. They'd meet up about three for a brain storming session before reconvening on Monday morning. Jane hadn't really expected any resistance to his plans.

"Now that's out of the way…" Lisbon looked at Jane in expectation.

"We have quite a few hours to fill." Lisbon didn't resist the hands tugging at her tank though she protested the few brief moments their lips lost contact while the garment was being pulled over her head.

She didn't even care when it sailed half way across the room. She'd have preferred dropping the garment within easy reach but Jane had other ideas. None of that mattered at the moment. Not when that man could kiss like nobody's business. Not when every second their lips were apart was a cardinal sin.

While she didn't remember exactly when or how Jane jettisoned her panties, she would never forget the instant he sank so deeply within her. Or that strange little sound he elicited from her in that first moment of brain melting pleasure. Even contemplating denying herself such sensual delight was totally insane. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she couldn't help thinking what that man did to her should be a criminal offense. It surely was in some states. Lisbon laughed to herself at the thought she must have been a very good girl the past few months. She had to have been for Jane to accept her offer when he'd turned down all the others.

A certain foul mouthed brunette didn't count.


	3. Chapter 3

I just noticed it's been nearly a month since I've updated this. Sorry. It's a lot harder to stay focused when you're not driving yourself to finish a story as quickly as possible as I used to do. This chapter and the next will end up being combined since this one is so short and basically filler fluff. I wanted to get something up tonight to get myself back on track working on this story and the other two. ~Calla

#

Watching Lisbon absently walk back into her office from the bullpen, Jane wasn't sure it was such a good idea coming into the office today. Perhaps he should have convinced her to give everyone the weekend off instead. They could have dealt with the resulting guilt quite easily. He could have found ways they'd both enjoy in getting around it he was sure. Truly pleasurable ways that were nothing remotely connected to studying crime scene photos or discussing Red John's vilest habits.

As it was, he and Lisbon had spent five very long hours sequestered at the office with the team. Three hours past the time limit they'd agreed upon. Somehow, Jane wasn't surprised. He was wooing a devoted lady cop. Wooing? Where had that ridiculous thought come from? Jane just shook his head in wonder. He must be losing it. He had to be to think a ridiculous thought like that. He was hardly pursing Lisbon with purpose. They hadn't even fully defined what they really were beyond freshly minted lovers.

"I'll be back in a minute." Jane left Rigsby and Cho to walk into Lisbon's office uninvited locking the door behind him.

"Yeah, Jane, what do you need?" Lisbon looked up briefly from the file she was studying.

The last time she'd seen her whatever, he'd been out in the bullpen going over the evidence boards with Cho and Rigsby. Van Pelt was taking a breather for a few minutes. Actually, Lisbon thought she was off flirting with that hot young prosecutor who'd stopped by to see Grimaldi across the hall. Yeah, it seemed even attorneys worked an occasional Saturday.

"What do you think, Lisbon? It's pushing five in the evening. We've been here three hours too long. It's time to send the team home and leave." Jane took the file from her hands before drawing Lisbon to her feet. "I've tolerated you breaking our agreement; but, all we've been doing is spinning our wheels most of the day. We haven't really accomplished anything and you know it. Staying here all night isn't going to do anything but defeat the purpose of taking the weekend off so we can reconvene Monday morning all bright eyed and busy tailed." Jane sagely pointed out.

"You may be right; but, I think I might be on to something." Lisbon motioned towards the file on her desk.

"Yes, well, they're dead. Whatever that something is you might be on to can wait. This can't." Drawing her into his arms, Jane gave Lisbon a tongue tickling kiss reminding her exactly what they were missing out on by being here. "The sooner you send the team packing and we make our dinner reservations, the sooner we can get back to what really matters." Things like getting naked with intent. Jane smirked at the thought Lisbon would smack him for his wicked thoughts though he doubted she'd put up that much of a fight. Not if last night and this morning was an accurate indication.

"Jane, we have open cases a mile high. We really need to work." Lisbon reminded him as he kissed her yet again with a little more force. "And we're at the office where anyone can see."

"And we've agreed to come back to them with a vengeance early Monday morning rested and refresh. Is that not the plan?" Jane asked yet again. "As for anyone seeing, that's highly unlikely. Your blinds are pulled and the door is locked." Surely Lisbon knew he wouldn't take any reckless chances.

Neither of them wanted to get busted. Or he didn't think they did. Not before whatever was happening between them had a chance to blossom into something more than a heated one night stand. He certainly didn't. Lorelei aside, he wasn't that kind of man.

"Yeah, Jane, I guess it is." Lisbon reluctantly agreed.

"Good. Then go out there and tell the team to go home. We have reservations at seven thirty. It's a nice place, Lisbon, not a cop dive so I'm sure you'd like to swing by your place and do whatever it is that women do before a date." Jane imperiously informed her.

"Date, huh?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah, date. You know flowers and holding hands under the table and stupid kissy faces." Jane teased.

"I am not holding your hand under the table or making stupid kissy faces." Lisbon said as she flopped down on her couch.

Flowers might be nice though. She hadn't gotten any of those in a very long time. Just not lame roses. She didn't care what color they were. Not that she had anything against roses and she wouldn't throw them away. It was just that every guy who'd ever given her flowers had given her roses. She expected Jane to be more original if he even gave her flowers at all.

"I don't expect you to. While our being seen having dinner in a nice restaurant with adequate space between us wouldn't be out of line given we are friends, holding hands under the table would be on the tacky side don't you think? As for the kissy faces, that's ill-advised on a good day. Not to mention rather gross to see.

Lisbon, you can meet me at my place about six fifteen. It's on the way to the restaurant.

Oh, and pack your bags. We'll be staying at my place the next couple of nights. It'll be easier to keep you away from work there. Besides, we'll be less likely to have unwanted attention since no one knows where I really live." Not since he'd never really given an address beyond a P.O. Box number he rarely used. He picked up his paperwork at the office. Jane gave Lisbon one last kiss before walking out the door knowing, while not particularly pleased with his high handed manner; she would do as he asked.

Watching him leave, Lisbon decided she was as ready to leave as the rest of them were. Walking over to the bull pen she fixed her guys with a certain stare they recognized. The boss was about to cut them free. If Rigsby had been an overgrown puppy, his tail would wag. Truthfully, he'd probably go into full body wag. He was past ready to get home to Benjamin. Cho just looked like Cho except for that gleam in his eye suggesting he might be up to something later tonight that no one really wanted to know about. As for Van Pelt, the smile on her face said she might have a date with that good looking attorney after all. She was hoping so.

"All right, guys, you're cut lose. I'll see you bright and early Monday morning ready to work." Lisbon almost laughed out loud at the way they nearly fell over each other high tailing it out the door.

Walking back into her office to gather her things Lisbon decided she'd put money on Jane being by the elevator waiting to escort her to her car. Exactly as he was.

"Hey, you." Lisbon pushed the button and waited for the ding.

"Hey, you, back." Jane gave the most appropriate response he could give to such a ridiculous statement as they stepped into the elevator.

"So, what's this restaurant we're going to and when did you make reservations?" Lisbon asked on the descent.

"It's a very nice place where a dress wouldn't be remiss if you have one. As for the reservation, I called in a favor this morning. Otherwise, we'd never have gotten in. Not for a good three weeks." Jane said as they exited the building.

"I see. An old client or somthing?" Lisbon asked as they walked across the parking lot.

"You could say that. I consulted on his wife's murder case a long time ago in Malibu. An employee he fired for embezzlement came back late one night to the restaurant to get him and shot Sarah instead. Jacob sold that restaurant and moved here soon after. He's done quite well for himself in the years since." Jane said as they stopped by Lisbon's SUV.

"I'll see you at a quarter past six, Jane." Lisbon said as she climbed up on the seat and closed the door behind her.

Waving at Jane, she watched him turn and head in the direction of his car. Well, she'd been partially right. When she'd said an old client, she'd thought he meant another true believer the old Jane had conned out of serious dough with his psychic dog and pony show. She'd not expected his "friend" to be someone he'd met through a police department consult. Especially not someone whose wife had died in a manner not totally dissimilar to the way Jane had eventually lost Angela. She'd honestly not known what to say so she'd chosen to say nothing instead. The way things were going, this evening should be interesting in ways she'd not anticipated.

#

Hearing the jarring ring of his door bell, Jane set his tea aside before heading across the foyer. She was five minutes late. Opening the door, he pulled Lisbon inside followed by her rolling suitcase. Locking the door, Jane turned to look at her. She hadn't worn a dress, and he honestly never expected her to; but, she'd cleaned up nicely from the top of her gleaming ebony hair to the tips of her dainty toes. Taking in her appearance, Jane decided she was even lovelier than he'd expected.

Jane smirked at the thought he'd not known what he was in for all those years ago. He'd expected a scappy CBI agent and he'd gotten one all right. Lisbon could be about as scrappy as they come. She just hadn't looked anything like he'd thought. She'd been a surprisingly good looking woman a long buried part of him had responded to even then. She still was and he still did. Respond to her.

Glancing at her face, Jane decided he liked her make up a little heavier. While not so workable for day, at night what she'd done gave her a sultrier look he thought suited her very well. He liked that she was wearing the perfectly sized diamond and emerald earrings he'd given her for her birthday a couple of years ago, too. They'd fought like cats and dogs when Lisbon refused to accept them; but, Jane had won the day. He'd argued quite eloquently that they'd known each other long enough a nice gift wasn't amiss. It wasn't like he was trying to give her six figure emerald and diamond jewelry sets again.

Besides, the world wouldn't talk any more than they already were if she didn't tell anyone. His feelings wouldn't be hurt if she didn't. In the end, Lisbon had not so gracefully conceded. She'd kept those earrings for "special occassions." He also suspected she'd done a silly little happy dance behind closed doors. Lisbon had like those earrings. He'd seen the glittering truth in her eyes.

Back to tonight, Lisbon was wearing a pretty long sleeved silk blouse in a deep shade of iridescent teal that appeared more green than blue at times and black dress slacks fastened with a fancy belt along with slightly higher heeled sandals than she normally wore. That her neckline dipped a bit lower than usual didn't go unnoticed. Glancing down, Jane couldn't help noting her toe nails were painted a dangerous shade of glossy burgundy red he found surprisingly sexy. Truthfully, he found Lisbon delightful and wished for the briefest of moments he'd not made those reservations. He'd much rather stay home and unwrap his "good boy" present than sit across a table making inane conversation and stuffing his face. Even if he knew the food was delicious and the company enjoyable.

"Down boy, you made those reservations and we're keeping them." Lisbon grabbed her suitcase and rolled it into Jane's bedroom like she knew her way around the place.

She did. This wasn't her first rodeo. She'd helped him decided between the three places that had caught his eye what now seemed a lifetime ago. Not that she'd been here that many times since. And she'd never been in his bed before though there was no denying he'd been in hers. Oh, well, there was a first time for everything and she'd had a lot of firsts since Jane joined her team. Not all of them good.

"Fine, Lisbon, be that way. Since we're not holding hands or making kissy faces, I guess that only leaves this." Following her into the room, Jane pulled a large bouquet of mixed flowers from behind his back half of which Lisbon didn't even recognize.

"You bought me flowers?" Lisbon quirked a brow at the enormous bouquet she knew hadn't come from any neighborhood supermarket. Jane must have another friend somewhere he'd called in a favor from. Somehow she didn't doubt it.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I did. Now it's official. We're on a date. You want me to put these in water while you do whatever you need to do so we can leave?" Jane asked confident he wasn't getting a kiss any time soon.

Not with the burgundy red lipstick Lisbon was wearing. Not that he really wanted that goop smeared all over his face. Not before going to the restaurant. Afterwards, all bets were off. He thought the color might look quite nice on him as well. He was certainly willing to give it a try.

"They're lovely." And far more than the stereotypical roses she'd expected. "Yeah, I think I would."

"I'll meet you in the foyer in a few minutes. We need to leave soon or we'll be late." Jane commented as he left Lisbon to do whatever she needed to do.

Walking into the kitchen, he pulled a large vase from beneath his sink and filled it with water. He arranged the multicolored irises, peonies, and calla lilies deftly in a striking arrangement he thought Lisbon would like. He'd have to remember to thank Trixie for more than meeting his demand for an unusual bouquet of exotically colored flowers. He'd trusted her judgment and she'd come through yet again as always. Though they might meet one day, what Lisbon would never know was Trixie was Angela's cousin three times removed and ex-carney folk.


	4. Chapter 3b

Since it screws things up, I won't be combining this chapter with the last. You'll have to consider it the second half of the fluff before I move back into the darker Red John arc. I'm afraid I can only do so much of saccharine before I have a sugar overload and have to return to what I truly like to write. ~Calla

#

"Well, Lisbon, just a few more blocks and we'll be at the restaurant." Jane made idle conversation as he maneuvered easily through traffic.

"Sounds good, Jane." Lisbon sat in her seat with her eyes closed catching a brief cat nap.

Surprisingly, the day had taken more out of her than she'd expected. Actually, being up to no good with Jane most of last night was the real culprit. She almost envied him his ability to operate effectively on little or no sleep for extended periods of time. No, she didn't. She liked her sleep. Feeling the car come to a stop, Lisbon opened her eyes not at all surprised they'd finally arrived. Leaning forward in her seat, Lisbon stared at the large sign in front of her in open disbelief. She'd been wanting to try this place out for months and never had. Frankly, she'd not been willing to make the necessary reservations and wait pretty confident when the day finally rolled around she'd not be able to keep her reservation due to some unforeseen work complication. Serendipity worked that way.

"You've got to be kidding me. Your old client was Jacob Kline?" Lisbon asked the question making her feel foolish she hadn't put two and two together before now from what Jane said. She was a cop, and a pretty good one, for goodness sakes. He'd certainly given her enough information in passing she should have connected the dots.

"Yeah, my old client was Jacob Kline." Jane said before walking around to open Lisbon's door.

"I assume you've stayed in touch over the years?" Lisbon asked as she fell in step beside Jane resisting the urge to take his hand.

While it was true they were going on a very public date, they were the only ones who knew it. To the rest of the world, they were just two friends finally getting around to checking out one of Sacramento's hottest restaurants. As much as Lisbon wished it could be different, it couldn't. That was the downside to seeing Jane.

"Wednesday night poker games twice a month when I'm available ever since." Jane replied as he opened the door for Lisbon and escorted her to the hostess's podium.

Giving his name, Jane guided Lisbon in step behind the perky twenty something who seemed quite good at her job. She had to be or she wouldn't be working for Jacob. Pulling out Lisbon's chair, Jane pushed it under the table before taking the chair across from her facing the room. He was much better at casing than she was hence she could stare at the paintings on the wall.

"Who wins?" Lisbon asked not at all disturbed by the seating arrangement.

This way there was nothing to distract her from Jane and he got to do all the work of keeping watch. Somehow, she thought she got the better end of the deal. Though he was dressed the same as always, Jane was looking particularly handsome this evening. It must be the hint of a smile constantly chasing about his lips every time he looked at her. She was having a hard time not grinning back. Calming her racing heart, Lisbon decided they really needed to do a better job of schooling their features or they were going to give themselves away without making kissy faces.

"Who do you think?" Jane flashed her a devilish smirk.

"And he keeps coming back for more? Sounds like Rigsby and Cho." Lisbon commented as she picked up the menu their server had left her.

"Some people never learn." Jane didn't need to look at the menu as he already knew what he wanted. "The crab stuffed flounder is quite delicious and rather extraordinary. Jacob adds a twist that makes it special I'm not going to share. You'll have to try it to find out. The Cioppino is delicious as well."

"You've eaten here before?" Lisbon asked as she decided she might take him up on that flounder.

"Many times." Jane confirmed. "Where do you think we hold a lot of those poker games?"

"In a room back there." Lisbon nodded in the direction of the wide swinging doors.

"You'd be exactly right, Lisbon." Jane said as he decided to have the thick Cioppino for a change and lifted his finger subtly summoning their server from across the room.

"I can't believe you're friends with Jacob Klein." Lisbon shook her head in wonder.

"You'd be surprised who I know, Lisbon, and who I call friend." Jane stated what she already knew without arrogance. Most of those people had nothing to do with his past cons and a few, surprisingly enough, were friends because of a con.

"I suspect you're right about that." Lisbon said as their server magically appeared by Jane's side.

She listened to Jane order not at all surprised he knew exactly what she wanted right down to the appetizer they'd share and the salads. Lisbon smiled at the thought she didn't mind making a pig of herself tonight. She really hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and that hadn't been all that much to begin with. If Jane was surprised, he better hold it in. She wasn't putting up with his trash talking tonight of all nights.

Watching their server walk away, Lisbon stared at Jane over the rim of her glass as she took a sip of wine contemplating whether she wanted to ask the question on the tip of her tongue.

"You went to see Lorelei today." It wasn't a question as she already knew the correct response.

"You know I did." Looking down wearily, Jane took a sip from his own glass deciding he preferred red wine to white.

"Did she say anything new?" Lisbon already knew the answer to that one, too.

"Not particularly. She's still playing tough; but, she knows she's living on borrowed time. The only positive thing I can say is I think she'll give us something at the last possible moment. I just hope we're around to hear it." Jane twirled his glass gently between his fingers.

"We will be." If it was humanly possible, they would be.

"Yeah, maybe we will…What do you think about Van Pelt and O'Malley?" Jane abruptly changed the subject indicating he didn't want to talk about Lorelei any more which was fine with Lisbon now that she'd gotten the much needed update.

"Other than his name's too close to O'Laughlin? He seems a nice enough man for an attorney. A little on the shy side; but, still decent enough I guess." Lisbon gave her passing opinion.

"He's a kinky little perv under that nice guy exterior, Lisbon. He finds the fact Van Pelt carries a gun and isn't afraid to use it a real turn on. I'm appalled you would think he's good enough for our Gracie." Jane said.

"Yeah, and what's your point?" Lisbon asked.

"Are you implying I'm turned on by the fact you carry a gun and know how to use it? Nothing could be farther from the truth." Jane's tone was affronted. "If you must know the truth, I'm more turned on by the fact a tiny thing like you can bring the bad guys down without a gun than I am someone Van Pelt's size can with a gun." Jane admitted.

The look Lisbon shot him clearly conveyed while he was a bit of a kinky dog himself, she wouldn't mind bringing him down a notch or two in a more appropriate setting.

"Shush, Jane, we're in public." Lisbon firmly reminded Jane in case he'd forgotten.

"Yeah, we are; but, there's no one around to hear us. We've been stuffed in the darkest corner of the restaurant." Which was exactly what he'd requested and mercifully gotten as this table was far more coveted than one might think.

"It's the only way to keep Jane out of trouble." Lisbon looked up at the sound of a masculine voice to see a dark haired man easily recognizable from printed media. Jacob Klein was both younger, and far more attractive, than he appeared in his pictures.

Rising to his feet, Jane exchanged a guy hug with his old friend.

"Lisbon, this is Jacob Klein. Jacob, Teresa Lisbon, my boss." Jane watched Jacob take Lisbon's hand and kiss her wrist through narrowed eyes.

"So this is the Teresa Lisbon I've heard so much about." Klein's eyes roved appreciatively over Lisbon in a way that, while not offensive, still made her blush. "Jane didn't do you justice, My Dear."

"Don't even think it, Klein." Jane's tone was threatening even though he knew exactly what his old friend was up to.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Teresa, when you get tired of playing head games with the freak over there, please give me a call." Pressing his card in her hand, Jacob flashed Jane a cheeky grin before moving on to the next table.

"You've got to be kidding me." Lisbon slid the card in her pocket as she resumed her seat positive none of that had just happened. She had so not been asked out by one of Sacramento's most eligible bachelors in front of her date.

"Nope, he meant it, Lisbon. If we ever break up, definitely give him a call. Jacob's a good man." Jane said confident Jacob wasn't a real threat nor was he likely to be.

"You've got to be kidding me." Lisbon repeated herself rolling her eyes in disbelief.

"Lisbon, while Jacob meant to give him a call if you become available, most of that was for my benefit. He owes me one. I broke up his last relationship and he's been looking for an opportunity for a little payback ever since. She was a money grubbing tart and I simply exposed her for what she was. It seemed Jacob liked her a hair more than I thought and he wasn't exactly pleased with me for ruining the fantasy." Jane admitted.

"So he was trying to use me to get back at you." Lisbon tone said exactly what she thought of that idea.

"Jacob wouldn't use you at all, Lisbon. He's not that kind of man. He found you attractive, and from what I've said about you in the past, he knows you're the kind of woman he would like. Jacob is, however, an opportunist like me and he's more than willing to take advantage of a chance to ruffle my feathers when it presents itself and that's fine by me. We can both consider the score settled and go back to the way we've always been." Jane watched Lisbon's face as she absorbed his admissions.

"That's totally childish, Jane." And it sounded like something her brothers would do.

"Yeah, well, we're men." Jane agreed with a smile. "We tend to be childish at times. The truth is it's a shame Jacob has never found the right woman for him. Sarah's been gone a long time." Jane said as their server sat the seafood stuffed mushrooms on the table between them.

"Sounds like someone else I know." Lisbon said as she took Jane up on his offer and scooped a couple of the overflowing fungi on her plate.

"Oh, I've found the right woman, Lisbon." Jane said as he took a succulent bite deciding he'd finally figured out the secret ingredient setting this appetizer apart from the million other seafood stuffed mushrooms out there. "I did that a long time ago. It just took me a while to make my move."

Ignoring Lisbon's sputter in her wine clearly conveying he'd not made the first move as she had, Jane decided Jacob owed him fifty bucks and he'd pay up before the night was over.

#

Nursing the final sip of strong coffee and licking the last of the cream cheese icing from her fork, Lisbon carried her dirty plate and cup into the kitchen and dropped them in the dishwasher before meandering back out to lean against the balcony railing. She briefly contemplated their evening so far. After enjoying the finest seafood either of them had eaten in a long time, as well as a couple of more visits from Jacob, they'd brought dessert home to finish later. A wonderful slab of Tiramisu for Jane and the most decadent Carrot Cake she'd ever smacked her lips around for Lisbon. Actually, they'd split one of the _two_ slices of Carrot Cake they'd brought home with them. The rest they were saving for tomorrow.

Speaking of Tiramisu and Jane, where was he? He'd left a while ago to make a cup of tea so he should have been in the kitchen doing just that a few moments ago; but, he wasn't. Actually, he should have been back long before now when she thought about it. She'd been too busy moaning over her decadent treat to notice he wasn't there. Suddenly feeling Jane's hand on her shoulder Lisbon decided, on second thought, maybe he was back and still without the expected cup of tea. What had he been doing all that time if not making his favorite beverage? She had a feeling she didn't want to know.

Truthfully, Jane had probably been off somewhere brooding in solitude. Pondering some of the less pleasant things they'd discussed over dinner while she'd been messily devouring cake. Catching the shadows in his eyes, Lisbon was pretty sure her hunch was right and she didn't want to know.

"Jane, what are you doing?" Lisbon looked up as Jane turned her before taking her in his arms and threading his fingers through hers.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Jane responded to her question with a question in that annoying way he did so well.

"Acting like a fool and taking advantage of your neighbor's noise pollution?" Lisbon smirked as he expertly manipulated her across as much space as his moderately sized balcony would allow.

"Dancing, Lisbon, we're dancing." Jane corrected her.

"How romantic can you get? We're dancing in place to keep from falling over the edge." Lisbon nodded her head in the direction of the balcony railing as she continued her snarky dialogue.

"Actually, Lisbon, I think we've already fallen over that edge." Jane quietly corrected her not particularly pleased with her snippy teasing. "As for the dancing, I saw how you watched the couples at the restaurant. While we couldn't join them for propriety's sake, we can dance here and I think my neighbor's noise pollution is the perfect accompaniment. That being said, why don't you close your eyes and enjoy the moment. I know I am." Jane gave Lisbon a peck on the lips and grasped her a little tighter.

Taking the hint, Lisbon decided they'd certainly fallen over that edge landing her in his bed or, more accurately, landing him in hers. Deciding it was nearly impossible to keep anything from Jane, Lisbon reluctantly admitted she had been watching those dancers longingly. She still treasured the memory of dancing with Jane at that Class Reunion so long ago as well as the few times they'd danced together since at several acceptable work related events.

All were special, but nothing like this. They couldn't be. Lisbon had been too afraid of revealing feelings better left "unsaid" and Jane, well, who knew what Jane was really thinking? He may have been recalling what it was like to hold Angela for all she knew. Mentally shaking herself, Lisbon hoped he wasn't doing that now.

"Close your eyes and enjoy the moment, Teresa. I can assure you I'm not thinking about Angela. I know exactly who I'm holding in my arms." Lisbon did not want to know how Jane did that.

Nor did she want to believe she was that predictable. So, she was going to settle for Jane being Jane. Complete with all the "how'd he do thats" otherwise known as woo-woo moments in her head. It was her usual method of dealing with unsettling events that were Jane related. Jane was being Jane, enough said.

"I can do that." Closing her eyes, Lisbon snuggled a little closer against him.

She also decided Jane was a good dancer when it came down to it. He was confident and firm in leading her where he wanted to go making it easy for her to follow. What else was new? That was exactly what he did at work. Smiling as Jane adroitly avoided a chair, Lisbon admitted they hadn't really danced until tonight. Not really. Since everyone was watching all those other times, they'd been circumspect.

Now, she was plastered as close to her partner as she could get and enjoying every sweet nuance of being in his arms. Dancing with Jane was different than dancing with most other guys. There was nothing groping or sexual about the palm pressed against her hip. Sensual and filled with wicked tension; but, nothing overtly physical. He hadn't once tried to surreptitiously grab her butt and she'd not had to resist the urge to kill him. They were simply enjoying their togetherness for what it was.

While they didn't have unlimited room considering where they were, Jane was making very good use of the space they did have. Lisbon could get used to dancing with him quite easily. There was something calming about being in Jane's arms under the stars and his intoxicatingly masculine scent wasn't hurting a thing. It was quite pleasing to her senses. Clean and crisp with an different under note probably emphasized by that body wash she'd found in his shower. It was a scent she didn't find objectionable at all. He was Jane and he was full of surprises. She'd always known that. Lisbon smiled against his neck as Jane suddenly dipped her with a flourish as the haunting music came to an end.

"Frederick always ends his nightly serenade on that note so the dancing is done for the evening. What do you say we take this inside?" Jane asked as he released her.

"It is getting rather cool out here." Lisbon agreed as she let him take her hand and lead her back inside glad she'd already disposed of her empty cup and plate.

Leading her into the kitchen, Lisbon watched Jane fill the kettle, set it on the burner, and turn the knob. Walking over to the cabinet, she opened the door and removed the familiar blue cup matching the one at the office before grabbing an entirely different cup for herself. There was nothing particularly bizarre about Patrick Jane ending a sensual dance with a spot of tea. It was actually very Jane and she thought she would join him as the idea of another coffee felt off at the moment.

"You'll join me, Lisbon? I have a very nice Imperial Red that Kathleen set aside for me. This quality is very hard to come by even in small quantities so I suppose that means you're a very important person in my life or I'd certainly not be sharing my stash." Jane informed her as he expertly fixed two cups of tea without waiting for her answer. That she'd set her empty cup by his with no coffee in sight was answer enough.

"Yeah, Jane, I think I will." Lisbon accepted the cup he offered not at all surprised when he draped his arm around her waist.

As for Kathleen, she'd just bet the woman had set every ounce of that tea she could get her hands on aside for Jane. It was no secret the proprietress of the shop around the corner from the CBI had a monster crush on her mentalist. Obviously, Jane didn't return the favor though the woman was younger than Lisbon and quite cute in a chirpy, get-on-your-last-nerve kind of way. Taking a sip of the tea, Lisbon decided she liked the smoke with a hint of cocoa flavor playing along her tongue. It was really, really pleasing to her palate.

Leaning into Jane, Lisbon allowed him to lead her back to the couch. Setting both of their cups on the coffee table on their neat matching saucers, she watched Jane sink into the leather before allowing him to pull her down to settle between his legs with her back against his chest. While she didn't doubt there would be intimacy before the evening was over, neither of them was ready to take that step yet. She was content to enjoy what they had right now.

It wasn't like they weren't still feeling their way into a relationship neither really knew how to forge. It was a daunting task considering what they were up against. To attempt creating a safe haven amidst the devastation of Red John and Lorelei might seem insane to a normal person. It seemed insane to her at times. But, as she frequently reminded herself, they were far from normal and Lisbon was betting her heart on that. If anyone could make it work, they would.

"I had a very nice time this evening, Lisbon." Jane ran his hands up and down her arms playing with her fingers in that mindless way making Lisbon smile.

That he was mildly disconcerted with the situation and trying to hide it amused her to no end. That the great Patrick Jane was as nervous as a teenager on his first date was almost too much. It wasn't like they didn't know each other quite intimately…intimately enough to make her blush if she thought about it so she wasn't going to. Not that she'd stop him if he wanted to do any of those deeply intimate things again. She wouldn't. But, she so wasn't going there. She was supposed to be enjoying Jane's torment, not tormenting herself.

"So did I." She really had. Lisbon giggled at the thought "nice" wasn't that bad a word in this instance. It really wasn't. The restaurant was very nice and the company even nicer even if she had forced a bit of shop talk into the conversation along the way. "Tell me a story, Jane." Lisbon said the first thought that popped in her head before deciding, yes, a story would be nice.

"I think I can do that, Lisbon." Jane spent a few moments considering which story wouldn't get him killed or arrested or both before deciding this was Lisbon. She'd take his antics in stride and remind him he wasn't that man any more. She always did.

Lisbon was special like that. She'd said it often enough over the years he'd started to believe it somewhere along the way. Though there were moments since Lorelei when he'd known a part of him was still very much that man. A very big part he summoned at will. It was a part he hoped would fade away when his battle was over and Red John was dead or incarcerated…though preferably dead. It was that side of him Lisbon saw on those tapes and he knew she didn't like him very much. Not that Jane could blame her. He didn't like him very much either. Dark Jane wasn't a nice man. Not nice at all. He could be downright nasty in fact.

"Good. I think I'd like to hear a story about Daisy." Lisbon was still too fond of that blasted elephant and it just so happened Jane had a story or two about the belligerent pachyderm up his sleeve.

Daisy was nothing if not a character and a character playing well to her audience even when she was picking a mark's pocket and stealing his wallet right from under his unsuspecting nose. She was sneaky like that. He'd seen it too many times before to ever trust her around him. The old gal had a whole lot tricks up her sleeve and not every one of them was an innocent as munching apples.

"Well, there was this time the elementary school children came to visit Daisy with their Principal." Jane proceeded to tell Lisbon in quite amusing terms how her pachyderm friend had proceeded to pick the overly friendly Principal's pocket while the man was busily petting and talking nonsense to her. She'd been younger and a bit more social and less cantankerous back then.

"So you're telling me Daisy is an unrepentant thief?" Somehow, that thought didn't really surprise her. As much as she liked them, there was something a little shifty about Sammy and Pete so it wasn't surprising there was something a bit shifty about Daisy as well.

"Well, yeah, if you're out of it enough not to feel an elephant's trunk in your pocket." Jane said in a perfectly reasonable tone like having an elephant's trunk in one's pocket was a common occurrence. Then again, maybe it was in his universe. Lisbon couldn't help the unladylike snort escaping her at that thought. "Oh, and another thing you should know is she only takes twenties and up."

"Jane, honestly, you're trying to tell me Daisy can tell the difference between paper bills? You expect me to believe that?" Did he take her for a complete idiot? She didn't think so. But then again, to make a statement like that he must think her pretty gullible.

"You'll find out when she picks your pocket." Jane predicted.

"I'm going to see Daisy again?" Lisbon asked charmed by the thought. She'd have to make sure to keep some apples in her pocket. While she like Sammy and Pete, she like Daisy even more.

"Yeah, why not? Probably the next time they're in the area which shouldn't be too long from now. If I don't miss my guess, Danny will be with them as well. From Pete's last call, he seems to have taken my advice. He found a girl and settled down." Jane said rather pleased his troubled brother-in-law was finding a degree of peace.

"What about you?" Lisbon asked.

"Oh, I seemed to have found a girl and settled down, too." Jane said knowing full well that wasn't what she meant. Sure, he'd see Danny again. They were on better terms than they'd been since before Angela and Charlotte Anne died. Strangely enough, they even talked occasionally now.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. How do you feel about seeing Danny again?" Lisbon asked recalling Jane had visited his wife and daughter for the first time since the funeral when he'd taken his brother-in-law to put flowers on their graves.

That last encounter had been quite painful from what Lisbon had seen for a lot of reasons. Most of which she didn't even know as Jane hadn't shared them. Truthfully, it had been more than painful as Jane had ended up on her couch that night with his head in her lap. He'd been devastated. Not pushing him for more than he could give, Lisbon had been happy to offer Jane a cup of tea and a few hours of much needed solace instead. It was a familiar pattern they were comfortable repeating over and over again.

"How do you think? He's family and I'm glad he's finally happy. Danny was on the wrong track. I told him that." Jane reminded Lisbon as he remembered he'd also told Danny to move on and find something to love. It seemed he might have taken his brotherly advice for once. "As for the other, I meant what I said, Lisbon. I'm pretty confident I've found a girl and settled down, too." Jane repeated.

"Shush, Jane, we haven't been together that long." Lisbon reprimanded.

"Oh, I'd say were we honest, we've been together a number of years wouldn't you?" Jane smiled as he watched the woman on his lap flip in his arms to look him square in the eyes.

"Yeah, Jane, I think I would. Just not in the right way. What I'd really say is we've wasted a lot of time we'll never get back. What do you say to not wasting any more?" Lisbon asked as she unfastened the first button on his shirt and then the second.

"I'd say that sounds like a plan." Jane was laughing at her. Maybe not laughing out loud; but, he was certainly laughing inside and she didn't like it.

"Patrick Jane, you stop that right now or I'm going to make you." Lisbon threatened as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. The man was wearing entirely too many clothes. That shirt had to go along with his pants and everything else. Sitting up, she proceeded to make just that happen.

"Make away, Lisbon, I don't think I'll mind at all." Jane smirked as he tossed Lisbon's shirt aside having been just as busy as she was.

It hadn't taken that long to strip her down to the expensive matching ivory lace bra and panties since she'd been most cooperative. Jane chose to believe she'd worn her pretties for him. He honestly didn't think practical SAC Teresa Lisbon went to the trouble of only buying matching undergarments to wear day to day. It was much too impractical for a woman who didn't like playing dress up.

"I don't think you will either." Lisbon smirked as she sat back on her heels.

"Lisbon, don't you think you're a might overdressed for the occasion?" Jane asked as he reached for her.

"I think you're the one unwrapping the package. It's not my problem if you didn't do as thorough a job as I did." Lisbon informed him matter-of-factly.

"I think that's a problem easily remedied." Jane said as he reached behind her to unfasten the offending bra and toss it away.

Somewhat reluctantly, the sexy lace panties revealing far more than they hid soon followed. Jane couldn't help thinking they were going to find their clothing in the most unlikely places when they were done. Not that it really mattered as neither of them particularly cared where they were throwing things in their haste to get naked.

Now that they were, a dark haired minx had a certain look in her eye conveying a Lisbon knew exactly what to do with her Jane. From her knowing touch, she was probably right…Jane amended that thought a few moments later. From the way being inside her felt, she was definitely right. There was something sublimely perfect in how Lisbon took her pleasure while pleasuring him. It was somewhat amazing how well they understood each other in such seemingly mindless moments he knew were far from mindless. They both took great care in drawing the soul each from the other communicating through touch the words neither was ready to utter.

Capturing Lisbon's eyes with his, Jane accepted he'd never expected to feel this way again. Oh, he'd never been deluded enough to think a day wouldn't come when he'd give into lust as he already had. He wasn't that much of self-flagellating fool. But, he'd never thought to experience such emotional and physical intimacy again. He'd not thought it possible after his losses. Fortunately, as so rarely happened, he'd been proven very wrong.

There was something about loving a woman making the sex so much better. There was no denying that truth he'd always known. Placing his hand on her hips to steady her, Jane decided if there was one thing he knew and knew well it was that he was soundly in love with Teresa Lisbon. He had been for a number of years. And he didn't doubt for a skinny minute she felt the same. Wrapping his fingers through Lisbon's hair and gently drawing her lips to his, Jane saw absolutely no reason they shouldn't enjoy the benefits coming with such admissions. Even if the admission was only in his head.

#

"You're thinking too much, Jane." Lisbon tossed Jane's favorite line back at him. "He's not welcome here. Not between us. Not when it's Lisbon and Jane." She'd just taken Jane quite forcefully on his couch, not that he'd minded, with the bloody blinds open and he was so not ruining their reckless daring bringing Red John into the mix. She wouldn't let him. Not this time.

"I think you might be right, Lisbon." Jane capitulated as he stared back into her concerned eyes before giving her a comforting kiss.

"You know I am." Content she had his attention, if not his thoughts, Lisbon kissed Jane back with a little more heat.

Snuggling into his chest, she shifted the shirt he'd draped over her at some point feigning modesty she didn't feel. Neither of them was all that interested in getting up to completely close those blinds even now after any possible damage was done. Besides, no one should be looking through those slats into their neighbor's apartment anyway. If they were, and they could actually see anything, that was their problem for nosing where they knew they shouldn't.

Stroking Lisbon's back as he listened to her breathe, Jane refused to halt his tumultuous thoughts in spite of his lover's wishes. He hadn't a doubt in his mind that Red John knew of their change in relationship. He probably knew she was in his arms right now. Jane admitted that was his paranoia speaking; but, Red John had to know Lisbon had taken him to her bed and that he'd gone willingly. Jane was sure of at least that much.

He had to have suspected the whole Lorelei incident would drive them in this direction. Who knew, that might have been Red John's intent all along. As well as he knew the serial killer, Jane had never gotten as strong a handle on the monster as he'd wanted to. He understood him more than anyone else; but, not enough. If he had, RJ would have been six feet under feeding the worms a long time ago.

What Jane did know was if his nemesis wanted Lisbon's head in Vegas, he wanted a whole lot more given their change of circumstance. A whole lot more he would never allow to happen. Jane calmly decided he needed to persuade Lisbon to move into his place where he could keep an eye on her. Where he knew she'd be as safe as either of them could be given their unpredictable opponent.

Though Lisbon didn't yet realize it, there could be no more ambling about her nice apartment complex with next to no security or staying in her comfortable, familiar abode. Not until after Red John was done. Jane wouldn't risk losing her. That was a chance he wasn't willing to take.

Yes, it would make their life more complicated and their secret harder to keep; but, Lisbon's survival was worth the cost in the end. Even if it meant they busted themselves and were forced to accept the consequences. Whatever those consequences might be. Yes, he, they, could handle being split up at work if it came to that as long as they were together at home. He simply had to persuade Lisbon to see things his way. And, while it wouldn't be easy, Jane was sure it could be done. Once she allowed him to talk about Red John again.

Then again, that probably wouldn't happen. Bertram, LaRoche and Minelli all knew what happened when the CBI tried to come between a Lisbon and a Jane. It didn't turn out nicely for one of them and it wasn't the Jane.

Satisfied he'd put his fears to rest for the present, Jane turned his attention back to the receptive woman in his arms. From the look on her face, he was pretty darn sure neither of them would be getting any sleep for a while and that was fine by him. Returning her smile, Jane couldn't help patting himself on the back. His assessment of Lisbon had been right on the mark. She was a very passionate woman and he was a very lucky man in too many ways to count.


End file.
